Death is Only the Beginning!
by Aridethdar
Summary: To Harry death always meant "That's It, Game Over, The End..." He had no clue as to how wrong he was! Apparently "Master of Death" was a bad translation. "Death's New Toy" would have been more accurate... The ninja world is in for a shock! HP/(Male), HG/? Warning: Slash(Yaoi/Yuri) Hetero. Language and Humor. T for now... will probably go up later.
1. 0 - Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I own neither Harry Potter, nor Naruto. The two belong to the wonderful J K Rowling and the awesome Masashi Kishimoto respectively.

**Warning:** Definitely language...Let's see, what else? Hmmm... There is angst, abuse, and violence in the beginning of this story. It will become more fun/humorous... heck, knowing me I'll throw in a joke or two during angst moments too :D lol I'm not the type that can do "super serious" for long! XD lol Um... there will be both Slash/Yaoi, and Hetero relationships with a possibility of Fem!Slash/Yuri... I believe love is love and do not limit the character's relationships due to gender.

Key:

_'__Thoughts'_

**"Death"**

**_{ Kyuubi } _**

**_§ Parseltongue §_**

**::Jutsu::**

"Talking"

WFW or *"Talking"* = Purposefully taken from the series word for word, more or less...

**Summary:** To Harry death always meant "That's It, Game Over, The End..." He had no clue as to how wrong he was! Apparently "Master of Death" was a bad translation. "Death's New Toy" would have been more accurate... The ninja world is in for a shock!

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**Death is Only the Beginning!**

Chapter Zero: Prologue

WC: 1122

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**"Since you are the..." the dark voice started to chuckle, as if he found the next sentence hilarious and had a bit of trouble keeping a straight face. "...so-called "Master of Death," I have decided to let you pass unhindered to your next life, complete with memories from your time as Harry Potter.**

**Oh! I'm sending the Bookworm along as well, mind and all, since she tried to save you.**

**You see, Fate and I have come to an agreement... allowing you both to be reborn in a place where "magic" doesn't exist should be highly entertaining, especially since the two of you shall retain your abilities. You will become a new "Bloodline," more or less, which will turn their world on it's head and bring society to it's knees.**

**Have fun you two! I know we will..."**

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Harry was surrounded by total darkness. He could hear voices, but barely. It was as if he were in the bottom of a barrel, the voices were so muffled it wasn't even funny. Not that it mattered overly much seeing as he seemed to drift in and out of consciousness.

'_Consciousness first, voices... lat...er...'_

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"This really hurts, ya know!"

...

"You're the Fourth Hokage! Show some composure!"

...

"Hang in there, Kushina! Hang in there, Naruto!"

...

"Naruto, hurry up and come out! Kyuubi, you stay in there!"

...

The sounds of a baby crying could be heard echoing off the walls...

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Harry slowly became aware, though he had yet to open his eyes. Years of Auror training and experience taught him to gain as much information as quickly as possible without showing all one's cards.

A prime example being that one is conscious. The longer people were unaware of such a thing, the more candid they tended to be... and Harry could sense he was not alone.

_'__Are they crying?'_ He could only hope the "voice" from before didn't intend for him to witness his own funeral or something.

That would be extremely awkward. Even more so when he realized he was being held like a baby.

_'__Screw information gathering, what the hell is going on?'_ Harry thought as he opened his eyes, only to have said eyes widen in shock.

There before him was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and he had been introduced to several Veela in his lifetime so that was saying something! Her hair looked like pure fire, a red that not even his beloved Weasleys could dare match, and her smile... She was radiant. Yet her violet eyes were full of tears and, if the blood and marks upon her otherwise flawless pale skin was anything to go by, she had been in a battle...

The place shook and a thunderous roar could be heard from nearby.

_'Scratch that, it appears the battle is still going on.'_ Well, Harry would just have to help.

Only he couldn't seem to move his limbs properly.

_'__What in the world?'_ He did NOT like feeling helpless. _'Oh shit! You've gotta be kidding me!'_ Like it or not, he WAS helpless.

A defenseless newborn to be more precise.

_'__Well that explains the baby crying I heard earlier...'_

*"Naruto…"* At the sweet sound of the woman's voice Harry turned his full attention to her and what he saw caused him to panic. She had the eyes of someone who had come to terms with the fact they are going to die.

_'__No, no, no! This can't be happening. I have to help her.'_

*"You're going to experience a lot of pain and suffering."*

_'__That's the story of my life. Stick around and I'll tell it to you sometime.'_ Harry tried to convey the message, but it seemed as if his body needed some time to develop before he would be able to perform magic. _'Damn it!'_

*"Remember who you are!"*

_'__I do, but I'm not so sure it is necessarily a good thing._' Especially if that meant watching, and remembering, his mother's death. Again.

*"Find a goal…"*

_'__I've got one, it's to save you!_' Harry thought as he desperately tried to call his magic to him.

So what if straining his magical core at such a young age could possibly make him a Squib, it would be worth it if he could prevent history from repeating itself!

*"A dream…"*

_'__I prefer Dreamless Sleep actually, my only "visions" during slumber seem to be nightmares.'_

*"And don't stop trying until it comes true."*

_'__Working on it, but it doesn't appear that magic wants to work with me. Doesn't mean I'm going to give up. Come on! This can't happen again!'_ Alas, perhaps it was time for a different approach. _'Damn it Fate, once is bad enough, but twice is just bullshit!'_

*"There's… there's so much more that I want to say… to teach you… I want to stay with you…"*

_'__Then stay!'_ It was a losing battle, but he couldn't stop himself from praying that everything would be alright.

That he would have his parents there for him throughout his life for once!

"Kushina, come on! If we are going to save Naruto, then we need to seal the Kyuubi NOW!" Came a familiar, male, voice from off in the distance.

The same person others had referred to as the "Fourth Hokage" while Harry had been dancing in and out of consciousness if he wasn't mistaken. Which could only mean...

_'__History really is about to repeat itself.'_ Even in another life, what he thought might be a new start, things weren't so different.

He had parents who would give their lives for him, and they had every intention of doing so.

*"I love you."*

Next thing Harry knew he had "Big, Red, and Furry" sealed within his tiny body. Not like he paid it much mind. The beast could roar and rage all it wanted, he'd be damned if he let his parent's sacrifices' be in vain! The Kyuubi could just sit tight and deal with the fact it had once again been sealed inside a Human.

An extremely pissed off, magically inclined Human.

Though on the day of his "birth," Harry was more focused on what he had lost rather than what he'd gained. Sharing a body with another soul he could deal with, he'd done it before. Growing up without parents? Sure he'd been there, done that...

Yet he couldn't help but cry for the family he'd never have.

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**A/N:** This idea for a crossover has been bouncing around in my head for a while so I decided to go with it. I find it rather relaxing and hope that you are entertained by it as well. As far as update schedule, there isn't one because the key is WHEN I can find time to write XD lol

Feel free to comment/review. I love to hear what people think and appreciate it when you take the time to do so! Flames will be used to roast marshmallows and probably not given the time of day beyond that. Thank you!


	2. I - Unwanted

**A/N:** All mistakes are mine... I need a beta XD lol

This chapter is still serious, sadly, but I will make it up to you next chapter. I'm already about halfway done with it and I'm running into difficulty writing because I have to stop and cackle like mad every few minutes XD lol But this chapter had to be done. It gives you, as well as Sarutobi, a look into Naruto's (Harry's) life and how the orphanage treats him. This will set up some things later :D

Good news? Because this is a necessary evil, I'm posting it now rather than next Thursday as I had originally planned. Great news? I plan on posting the third chapter Thursday instead XD lol

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**Death is Only the Beginning!**

Chapter One: Unwanted

Word Count: 1850ish lol

Apparently word counter mistakes my "line breaks" and html as words...and I'm too lazy to count them all and subtract them from the total so I rounded down XD lol

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It had taken several weeks for Harry to come to terms with what was going on...

Okay, truth be told it took him about three freaking months before he could find it in himself to face the world in general. But who could blame him? It was the second time he'd lost his parents after all and this time he remembered the whole experience, not just screams and a flash of green light.

Was it so strange that he'd fallen into a depression?

_'__Extremely strange seeing as I'm still an infant.'_ Which happened to be another reason it had taken so long for him to have any desire whatsoever to become an active part of this new world.

Harry was NOT looking forward to learning everything again. Sure he had his mind intact with memories and all -not to mention Death apparently had taken mercy on him and equipped the reborn Auror with a Translation Spell of sorts, because these people definitely didn't speak English- but his new body still needed to learn how to walk, talk, and wipe it's own arse.

'_Right...so not helping.'_ He was trying to get his spirits UP, not take them back down... That was a difficult task.

The only bright side he could think of was the fact that, supposedly, Hermione was in the same boat and he would be able to see her again. But that was going to take a while. Again, he still had to teach his body to walk and talk before he could communicate with his best friend. Oh! And let's not forget the whole Magic thing. Building up one's magical core takes time and practice.

Yay, yet another aspect of his former life that he had to repeat.

'_Misery loves company... Hermione is going to train with me, whether she likes it or not.'_

He'd be damned if he went through the hells of Auror training alone this time! Though the brilliant Witch had gone the Healer route when it came to career choice, the "Lime Brigade" didn't have half the intensive training Harry's chosen profession had...

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"Hokage-sama..."

Ah, the orphanage matron. Kind to all... except "Naruto," who Harry just happened to be this time around. She never harmed him, or starved him like the Dursleys, but she would always glare at him and have a look of disgust anytime she had to so much as touch him.

Otherwise, the woman was good at her job. She kept a close eye on all her charges and always knew when something was wrong, so it wasn't weird in the slightest that even she had noticed something "off" about Harry.

And hence why he and said matron were in the Hokage's office.

_'But did she really have to lay me in the middle of the floor and retreat to the corner as if I would attack or something?'_ Harry wondered to himself. He didn't expect an answer, unless "Big, Red, and Furry" wanted to put in it's two cents. _'I almost forgot about...him?'_ Harry would have to talk to the creature later and get some information.

After all, it would be rude to call the fox "it" or "s/he" all the time.

"Was that really necessary?" The old Hokage inquired in reference to where the woman had placed "Naruto."

When the matron made no move to remove the infant from the ground the Hokage sighed and got up from his seat.

'_Oh if only I could move on my own._' If that were the case, Harry would have run away ages ago.

Alas, he still wasn't able to do...well, ANYTHING for himself really. Therefore he had to rely on the matron for a little while longer.

_'__As soon as I can, I'm out of there.'_' No need staying in a place he wasn't wanted. Again.

Harry had been forced to continue going back to the Dursleys "for his safety," thanks to Dumbledore's interference. However "Naruto" wasn't burdened by such a busybody with lame "reasoning."

"That child is not normal, Hokage-sama!"

Both the Hokage and the child on the floor gave the matron a look that pretty much said "duh." Or rather, Harry TRIED to give the woman said look. It turned into more of a "surprised baby" look than anything, which the Hokage found incredibly adorable.

Sarutobi sighed as he walked over and picked the child up. It was a shame that the Council refused to allow his family to adopt the child. The boy was too cute! It was like having Minato in his life all over again, and it was painfully obvious that the orphanage didn't want him.

_'__The Council is more trouble than it's worth sometimes...'_ The old man mused.

Sadly there was nothing the elderly man could do about them.

"Hokage-sama... He's not like a normal baby. Sure he eats, sleeps, and goes... but that's it! He rarely cries, barely moves... hell, the other children had mistaken him for a DOLL once!"

Harry shuttered. Doll... yeah, it had been an unpleasant experience to say the least. Fake bottles were beyond nasty, they tasted like rubber and heaven only knows where they've been. If that wasn't bad enough, he had been toted around like a sack of potatoes and forced into a fake stroller, which felt like it would collapse in on itself at any moment.

No, being a child's "Doll" was not his idea of fun. However, Harry had endured the girl's rough treatment for a time -because it made her happy- but after a while...he had screamed bloody murder to alert the caretakers of the problem.

Aiko, the girl, had not been a happy camper.

The Hokage chuckled and "Naruto" focused his stunning blue eyes on the man.

"A doll? I can see where one would mistake him for such. He is a cutie, and so well behaved. You should feel blessed that Naruto isn't running you ragged. If he's anything like..." The old man stopped and shook his head.

"But... but...he's a Freak! How could you condone such a thing around normal children? What if some of... IT rubs off on them?"

_'Freak? Yay, it's Aunt Petunia all over again.'_ Harry thought sarcastically.

"You speak nonsense, woman. There is nothing wrong with him in the slightest." The Hokage stated in a stern tone as he gently stroked "Naruto's" hair in a calming gesture.

"But he..."

"Is an infant who has lived through an extremely traumatic event." Sarutobi cut in with a sharp glare at the matron.

The woman huffed and seemed to pull herself together, going as far as to straighten up to her full height, before she looked haughtily at the strongest shinobi in Konoha.

"Be that as it may, you know as well as I do what that... THING really is. I believe the monster should be dealt with to keep the children safe. No need to bother keeping IT alive..."

"SILENCE!" The Hokage snarled, ANBU practically coming out of the woodwork to surround the hostile woman.

Sarutobi looked at the child in his arms and his eyes softened. The mini-Minato just looked back at him as if the little guy was merely bored. The old man couldn't help but chuckle when the blonde yawned and snuggled closer to him, obviously preferring sleep to whatever was going on around him.

Sarutobi turned back at the frightened woman, who seemed to finally realize she had significantly overstepped her bounds. His eyes hardened and he looked at the woman with disgust.

"You ignorant, foolish woman." He began in a harsh tone. "Your job is to care for the children to the best of your ability..."

"That's what I'm trying..."

"ALL of the children. ESPECIALLY Naruto! It was the Yondaime's dying wish that the child be cared for, I will not dishonor him in such a manner and neither shall you. You would do well not to even contemplate "dealing with" this child if you value your life, is that clear? If anything happens to him, it will be YOUR head."

Sarutobi looked down at the sleeping "Naruto" and smiled.

_'__Damn shame he can't be my grandson in name and...'_ The Hokage mentally shuttered. _'Paperwork.'_ He sighed and looked at the scared woman. "We will be keeping an eye on you. If you step out of line, you'll regret it." He paused.

Though threats tended to work brilliantly, he decided to "sweeten the deal" for the woman in an attempt to encourage her to behave.

"I will make you a deal." This seemed to ease the tension in the room and the woman relaxed a little as the ANBU backed off. "Teach him well how to take care of himself, and as soon as I deem him fit enough to do so I will set him up in an apartment on the opposite side of the village." THAT should be decent motivation.

"On the other side..." The matron's eyes widened. "Yes, Hokage-sama! I will do my best to have him independent as soon as possible."

"Good..."

"How soon will you test him?"

"I was thinking five or..."

"Start at three." She cut in, then laughed nervously. "I mean... You never know, I hear there are genius' out there who have graduated the Academy as early as five."

"Just one..."

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to see if the...child can take care of himself before that."

Sarutobi shook his head. He looked at "Naruto" again and was surprised to see the child wide awake and looking at him.

_'__If I didn't know better, I'd say Naruto was on the matron's side in this particular battle.'_ The Hokage mentally laughed. "Okay Naruto, I will check on you regularly to see how you handle yourself. Starting next week I will be dropping in at random to keep this lady on her toes, so if you have any grievances be sure to tell me, alright?"

_'__I would if I could old man.'_ Harry thought in irritation.

Seriously, he was going to start working on his vocal skills as soon as they got back to the orphanage. If the matron wanted him to act like a normal child and cry, wiggle, roll and all around make her life a living hell then who was he to deny her?

Baby "Naruto" smirked and Sarutobi chuckled.

_'__Well that's a first.'_ The Hokage thought offhandedly.

Too bad neither Sarutobi, nor the matron, realized the hell that was about to be unleashed upon their unsuspecting village.

In about a year.

Or two, depending on how long it took Harry to get his body in shape.

_'__Damn...'_ Not to mention become in tune with his magic once more seeing as it would definitely come in handy.

Three years would probably be the earliest he could escape that place...

And then, Harry would be sure to make someone pay for the training he would be forced to put his body through. He had started a nice list of potential victims. A list the matron had SOMEHOW earned herself the top spot on.

_'__Sucks for her.'_

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**A/N: **And now the chaos begins :D lol Also, there is a poll on my profile to see who people think Harry/Naruto would be good with. It's just a fun little thing to see what's on your mind XD lol Ja ne!

**Next Time: **Harry/Naruto meets Anko... heaven help us all!

P.S. If you have a prank or something you want to see feel free to comment and/or PM me. I have several things in mind, but I'd like to hear what you would enjoy seeing as well :D Until next time~


	3. II - Anko

**Disclaimer: **Don't ask, don't own policy? lol

**A/N: **Three things... 1) Yes, this is early. Don't expect another chapter before **next** Thursday though :P lol 2) I made a "Cover" for the story but, um... I think my child could have done better XD lol If anyone wants to make one feel free to PM me :D 3) I need a beta XD lol

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**Death is Only the Beginning**

Chapter Two: Anko

WC: About 2000

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It only took a week after the Matron had met with the Hokage before the caretakers started freaking out.

Why? They kept losing Naruto!

They would catch the little guy, then the next minute he was rolling away to Kami only knows where! It was like a game to the child, and the orphanage employees were about ready to pull their hair out. Most were convinced the Hokage had switched the child with one of his shinobi as a way to punish the staff. It was the only halfway believable explanation they could come up with.

The rest of the theories floating about were just too bizarre.

In fact, within Month One A.M. (After Meeting) five ladies had mental breakdowns and ended up quitting. FIVE! By the time Month Two A.M. rolled around -no pun intended- the matron, Mrs. Yuu, was at her wits end and finally begged the Hokage for assistance.

Of course the old man couldn't help but comment... One really must be careful what they wish for, that was for certain. Then again, the child STILL wasn't normal. In fact, the little beast had made a one-eighty and went from being a lazy freak to the overactive hellion they were forced to deal with.

Even the shinobi couldn't handle Naruto for long periods of time! Apparently the Hokage set it up so that babysitting the little demon was a mission assigned to teams daily, so no one had to suffer longer than one day at a time...

Poor Genin. They were usually the ones who were suckered into the gig...

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"I found him!" One pre-teen exclaimed happily to his teammates. "Wait a... what the..."

WHAM.

The young man laid sprawled out on the floor as he gazed at the ceiling.

"What just happened?" One minute he had found the blonde bundle of energy, then Naruto started to roll, and next thing he knew...

"Ya dead, Sano?" The kunoichi of the trio, a strange tomboy with hair so dark it looked almost purple, inquired as she rounded the corner and walked into the room. She looked at her brunette teammate and sighed. "Guess not. Anything hurt?" She asked offhandedly.

"Just my pride, Mitarashi." Sano groaned as he got to his feet.

"Found him!" Their oldest member, Sato, called from the living room area.

Mitarashi and Sano looked at one another, yet neither was in a hurry to make their way towards their teammate. In fact, the girl looked at her watch as if to say "wonder how long it'll take before he loses him."

Meanwhile, in the common room...

"Now stay still." The blonde teen grinned as he approached the infant. "Come on, be good. We blondes have to stick together!" He laughed as leaned over to pick Naruto up, only to cry out when the child rolled through the open space between his legs.

'_Roll, roll, roll away...'_ Harry hummed in his mind to the tune of Row Your Boat. '_Catch me in your dreams. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Matron's 'bout to scream._' He mentally cackled while he gave the Genin team a run for their money.

Harry knew the little bastards were getting paid, so he decided he might as well make them earn it! Though he did tone it down when SS&M were on duty. He liked the team and, honestly, after they "got to know him" the Genin appeared to enjoy him too. The trio was, quite possibly, the only team he didn't practice his newly rediscovered magic on.

With the exception of Sano.

Harry couldn't help but mildly stun the boy for a second when the brunette was about to catch him. He didn't do it EVERY time, but enough that Sano's team thought he was a klutz around "the cuteness that is Naruto" while Sano was convinced the child somehow screwed with his luck.

Either way, both parties found their time together to be highly amusing.

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"Hey, Anko-chan..."

"It's Mitarashi to..." The dark haired female snarled as she turned around, only to stop when she saw who it was. "Oh, hey Ibiki-kun." The kunoichi smiled at her friend. "What are you wearing?"

While Mitarashi was not the type to dress to impress, preferring her simple burgundy T-shirt and khaki shorts, along with several useful accessories -her trusty watch being one of them-, she could appreciate Ibiki's unique style. Whereas he used to just wear a simple black outfit and his bandanna style forehead protector, it seemed as if he had decided to "spruce it up" with chain-mail armour underneath. The muscular teen was also sporting a beige utility flak jacket of sorts with several pouches strapped to it and calf-length sandals.

"And you are all dressed up...why?"

"Um, well..." Ibiki flushed slightly and the girl raised a brow in question.

Anko had never seen the older kid blush. Ever. The guy was tough and wasn't easily rattled, which was why she liked him and allowed the teen to call her by her first name without some serious repercussions.

Something was up, but the girl couldn't seem to put her finger on it.

"That's besides the point... You've been given the day off, right?" Ibiki smiled at the young kunoichi.

"Yep. Lazy ass teacher decided teaching wasn't in the clouds today so the team decided to leave the bastard to his musings while we did something more productive..." Anko laughed and placed her hands behind her head in a relaxed gesture.

Ibiki wasn't fooled though. Relaxed the kunoichi might seem, but he knew the dark haired female could go from "easy going" to "psycho snake bitch" in less than a second.

Thank Kami he was on her good side.

"Right, so... would you like to go out with me?" Ibiki inquired.

"Go out?" Anko cocked her head to the side while she slowly, and noticeably, started to reach for her weapons pouch.

More or less, it was her way of saying "I'm giving you time to try and explain yourself before I cause you harm." Ibiki was no fool and took the warning seriously.

"Yeah, on a mission." Ibiki quickly elaborated. "They were going to let me solo the runt today, but I thought I'd see if you would like to come with since Naruto seems to like you. We can split the pay and I'll even treat you to dango."

Anko smirked. "Well, a split C-Rank is about what I'd get from a solo D-Rank..." Actually it was more, and they both knew it, but she had to act as if she were weighing the pros and cons.

It was a matter of pride. She couldn't just JUMP at a chance to spend time with the brat after all.

"But adding in the cost of dango..." The kunoichi hummed. "Can we take Naruto with us?" The question seemed to come out of nowhere. "I want to be the first to introduce him to the wonder that is dango."

"Sure." Hey, if it got him a "date" with the coolest girl he'd ever met then he was all for it.

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Ibiki needed to talk to the Hokage.

ASAP!

The old man needed to be warned of the terror that would befall the village should Anko and Naruto ever be allowed eat dango together again! It was a good thing that the child was still a baby, otherwise Ibiki was sure the duo would have caused some chaos while hyped up on the treat!

"Come on Naruto, I'm going to show you how to walk up trees!" Anko exclaimed happily as she took off toward the forest.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Anko-chan!" Ibiki cried as he took off after the female who carried their small charge.

Perhaps suggesting that Anko should walk off some of her energy wasn't his brightest idea...

"Naruto must not be harmed, remember?" Ibiki used it as a reminder when he caught up to the duo.

That particular stipulation was a BIG part of the mission, the reason it was labeled a C-Rank, and why it paid so well. No matter what Naruto did, or how bad the brat ticked a team off, they had to treat him with the utmost care if they didn't want to fail the mission. It was great training for later on in their careers too! Not all clients were easy to get along with after all, and if the mission was to protect them from harm...

Yeah, the "Naruto Mission" was a perfect training exercise to teach Genin teams patience. A virtue young people rarely possessed. And for those who already had patience? It was a great way to earn some good money.

"I wouldn't do anything to hurt him. I'm trying to help him!" She smiled sweetly and Ibiki shuttered. "Besides, I'm just going to SHOW him. I wouldn't actually make him try it." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right..." Didn't he feel foolish... then again, the girl was extremely unpredictable so it was best to air on the side of caution.

"Not right away at least." Anko cackled and took off like the hounds of hell were on her heels.

"ANKO-CHAN!"

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It was official. Harry freaking LOVED Mitarashi... Or Anko rather, since she said he was allowed to call her that when he started talking.

She had been soloing the "Naruto Missions" for a month now and the Wizard in an infant's body couldn't be happier! The chick was crazy, but in a good way! In fact, the girl reminded him of Sirius... A darker, more deadly, female version of his godfather but Sirius nonetheless.

Why was she going solo? Well, that was partially Harry's fault and he felt rather horrible about the... incident.

Anko's teammate Sano, from SS&M squad, had suffered a slight mishap. Harry didn't wish to relive the details, but let's just say if involved Sano, a spell, a cat, a stick, and really bad timing.

The end result? Sano was in the hospital and would be there for at least another month while he fully recovered...

As for the other "S" on Mitarashi's team? Sato decided to train and take D-Rank missions in the meantime. Why? Because he didn't think he'd survive with his sanity intact if he was stuck with the "demonic duo" -as the teen had so kindly dubbed them- for any length of the time.

'_Sato's loss.'_ Harry's gain.

As it turns out, an unsupervised Anko is a lot more open. And talkative. The girl talked to little Naruto about EVERYTHING. At first it had been little things like her favorite shop, or someplace she wanted to show him, idle chatter really... After a couple weeks, when she realized how relaxing it was to talk to the child, she started to take him to secluded locations and speak from the heart.

Anko told Naruto about her time with a man named Orochimaru. How he had trained her and made her feel like she was worth something. How she had learned to Summon snakes and use them in battle. How he had cursed her, along with nine others, and the fact that she was the only one to survive...

Then the bastard had abandoned her.

Konoha-nin had come along and picked Anko up. With the Hokage's help she had managed to get back on her feet and find a new purpose in life. And even though she had been with the village for a while, the residents of Konohagakure didn't fully trust the girl. She was tough and didn't let it show, but she admitted to the little blonde that it hurt. The people she had sworn to protect didn't believe her...

Harry could relate. So he made it his own personal mission to be the one to believe in Anko and do his best to cheer her up. He started off with something simple, yet it caused tears of joy to well up in her lovely brown eyes.

He said "Ah-ko." It wasn't perfect, but it was the closest his developing vocal cords could get.

Though it was more than enough...

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**A/N: ** Harry has a big sister now, or partner in crime... whichever way you want to view it! :D Konoha needs Hermione! XD lol

Also, yes I did some research on Anko and Ibiki's academy/Chuunin ages... (Morino is 3 years older than Mitarashi by the way :D ) Both graduated at 10, but Anko passed Chuunin at 12 and Ibiki at 15. Which means they took the exam/graduated at the same time Oo;; lol But I digress. The whole point of this was to say that at this point Anko is about 11 and Ibiki 14. Genin, not yet Chuunin though they exams are coming next chapter.

And yes Morino likes Mitarashi, but not in a perverted way... She's just the coolest chick he's ever met. Rather innocent at this point *shrugs*

**Watching the poll is amusing! ** It appears people really like Gaara and Itachi XD lol I will be doing another poll soon (What do you think would be a good animagus form for Harry?) and I'm wondering how long people would like me to keep polls up before I make a new one. I find them entertaining :D

Thank you to everyone who has Favorited or is stalk...er, following. Many thank yous to those who have reviewed! I try and respond to them, but if I don't I want you to know I appreciate you. Thanks again!


	4. iii - Decisions

**A/N: **It appears Itachi and Gaara are much loved and blew the competition away! XD lol Quite amusing, I must say. Can't make any promises that either will happen, but I will keep this in mind :D lol New poll is what you think would be a good animagus form for "Naruto"... after that, methinks I will do one for who would be good with Hermione :D I'm a poll addict apparently ^^;; lol

Also...Trophy for the best/most entertaining vote so far goes to: **astrakage! "I vote for Madara. The real one being somehow brought back and is disgusted with how things are and ending up with Harry." **Awesome, random, and totally Chaotic! My muse adores you :D This chapter is dedicated to you my friend! Sorry it's not funnier ^^;; lol

All mistakes are mine, I really need a beta XD lol

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**Death is Only the Beginning!**  
Chapter Three: Decisions

Word Count: 2820-ish

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"Anko-chan, what is that in your hand?" Ibiki wondered aloud as the duo walked toward the Orphanage.

"This..." The dark haired kunoichi held up the scroll so the teen could get a better look. "Is a Summoning Contract." She grinned and that worried the male.

Ibiki knew Anko had a contract with snakes. Hell, everyone knew THAT considering who her sensei used to be. The question was, did she plan on signing a secondary contract? And if not, what did she plan to do with one she already had?

"Okay... so what are you doing?"

"Walking with you to the Orphanage."

"You know what I meant." Ibiki sighed and the girl smiled.

"True, but messing with you is far more entertaining."

"Anko-chan..."

Mitarashi laughed and flipped the scroll up into the air before she expertly caught it with two fingers and repeated the process as they continued on toward their "mission."

"I asked one of the snakes to grab their contract for me."

"Why would you want a contract you've already signed?" Ibiki looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened in horror. "No, no, and hell no! You are NOT going to... Naruto can't even sign anything. He's a baby, remember?"

Anko snorted and rolled her eyes. "As if I'd forget. I know he can't write yet." She chuckled and Ibiki sighed in relief. "That's why I asked if they would be cool with just his blood."

The older Genin nearly fell over, but caught himself at the last minute.

"WHAT?! You are NOT going to bleed a child just so you can make him sign a contract he might not even wish to have." Ibiki scolded.

"Ibiki-kun..." Anko looked at him with sad eyes and the teen stopped in his tracks.

"Anko..."

"We'll be taking the Chuunin exams next week." Anko cut in as she stopped and stood a few feet away from the guy. "What if..." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I know I'm strong, the bastard taught me well, but... The exams are brutal. People are encouraged to use any means necessary to win... to kill."

"Anko-chan, you'll be just fine. My team will be in this as well..."

"Don't you dare hold back." Anko glared at him. "If we have to go against each other, don't you even think about "going easy" on me or so help me I WILL send you to the hospital." She stated firmly.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Besides, he knew she wouldn't even consider taking a guy seriously if they didn't extend the same courtesy.

"But just in case..." Her tone turned somber once more. "I want to leave Naruto with something. I want..." Anko stopped and Ibiki looked concerned.

He'd never seen the girl emotional before... and he found it strangely endearing. He was proud of the fact she trusted him enough to let him see her like this. And he knew he had the little blonde to thank. They wouldn't be anywhere near this close if it wasn't for the "Naruto Missions."

"I want him to have something which will remind him of me, no matter what. I want him to think of his "Ah-ko" any time he sees a snake. No matter if I am alive or..." Anko shook her head. "Most of all, I want him to have some backup." Her eyes hardened. "I've seen the way the villagers look at him. I want them to know early on that if they so much as THINK about laying a hand on him, it'll be a BAD day."

She had a point.

Ibiki wasn't blind. He too had seen the way the older shinobi looked at the child, the coldness in their eyes was shocking, and the citizens were worse. They weren't trained to hide their feelings like their ninja counterparts and showed their dislike openly. They would glare, sneer, and steer clear of the child as if he were diseased or something.

"He's going to be great you know." Anko whispered with a fond smile on her lips.

"I believe it." Ibiki smirked. '_A great terror.'_

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"Oh thank Kami you're here!" The Matron cried when the Genins walked in.

"What's wrong?" Ibiki asked in an attempt to gather as much information about the situation as quickly as possible.

"Is Naruto alright?"

"That DEMON is the PROBLEM! He's been running around all day and he walked up the walls and... By Kami, he even used the TOILET!" The woman held herself as she rocked back and forth. "I told the Hokage the child wasn't normal. He's possessed, he has to be. No child can potty train themselves." She laughed hysterically.

"Mrs. Yuu, calm down. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation..."

"Naruto is normal, he's just a fast learner is all..." Anko laughed nervously. "Yes, that's it. And the walls... I showed him how to tree walk. Same concept, he must have decided to practice without me."

"See? Everything is just fine Mrs. Yuu. Here..." Ibiki motioned one of the other caretakers over. "This young lady is going to take you to the hospital to get checked out."

"There... there is nothing wrong with me!"

"No, nothing wrong, you're just a little stressed and look like you could use a day off. Isn't that right, Miss?" The teen gave the caretaker a hard look and the female nodded.

"Right. Of course." The young woman put on a fake smile. "Let's go Mrs. Yuu."

"Yes... right... But what if the doctors say I'm not fit for duty?" The Matron asked.

"The doctors will probably recommend you take care of yourself a little better, nothing more." Anko smiled.

"Maybe have you take some "You" time every now and then? Perhaps prescribe a day at the spa?"

"Yes... yes... that sounds lovely." Mrs. Yuu nodded... and kept nodding like a bobblehead all the way out the door.

Ibiki turned to Anko with a serious expression.

"Well, now that is over... Did you potty train him?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Anko shrugged and took off.

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"Ah-ko! Ah-ko!" The little blonde latched onto the girl's leg as soon as they entered the room.

"Hey there Naru-chan. I've got a present for you." Anko sing-songed happily as she presented the scroll to the child.

"Wazzat?"

"A Summoning Scroll for..." Anko's eyes widened. "You just said another word!" She squealed and picked the child up for a hug.

"You're surprised at that? I'm still surprised he says your name." Ibiki chuckled.

"Oh, he's been saying that for about a week or so now. If you hadn't gone on that long mission and ditched us you would know that." Anko stuck her nose up in the air and Naruto mimicked her.

"I'm sorry, it was sensei's idea." Ibiki stated. "If it makes you both feel any better, I did ask him to let me stay here and watch Naruto with you, but he said I needed a break." He rolled his eyes. "As if."

"Well, even my teammates need a break from us every now and then, so I guess I can't blame you..." Anko smirked. "This time."

"Dis dime!" Naruto giggled and both Genin looked at him in shock.

"So... fast learner you say."

"Super fast."

"Like inhumanly so?"

"Don't you dare start on a rant like the Matron, Ibiki, or so help me..." Anko growled at the older kid and the teen put his hands up in surrender.

"No, no, that's not what I meant... It's just..." Ibiki paused and looked between Anko and the blonde. "Maybe, if he's an audio-visual learner like he seems to be, then we could take him on missions with us?"

"What? Like I take the babysitting mission while you grab another one and we take Naruto along?" Anko looked intrigued and, strangely enough, so did Naruto.

"Hai, exactly." Ibiki nodded.

Anko looked at Naruto and smiled. "Would you like that, Naru-chan?"

"Hai hai!" The blonde exclaimed happily.

Ibiki smirked. "Then we shall make this a week you'll never forget, Naruto!"

Anko looked at the older Genin with wide eyes when she realized what he was doing. Ibiki wanted to make it so Naruto would have good memories of her no matter what, just like she had hoped to accomplish with the Summoning Contract... Only this way Naruto would not have to be hurt in any way.

A genuine, whole hearted smile graced Anko's features as she looked at Morino. "Thank you, Ibiki."

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"I can't believe we're stuck here with the brat." One disgruntled male Genin grumbled, his arms crossed as the team -plus one- watched the Chuunin Exam Finals.

"Tch, how did we get stuck with this mission again? I hate the Naruto Mission!" The other boy of the young trio complained to their teacher.

"You were late." Their Sensei replied like it explained everything.

"So you're punishing us?" The Complainer asked.

"That's not fair, Sensei!" The Disgruntled one added.

Why the vague nicknames? Because their looks were so dull and boring nothing stood out aside from their attitudes.

"Wow, you actually figured it out, Maro. I'm impressed." The kunoichi of the group rolled her pretty blue eyes at her teammates. "And Natsu, life isn't fair. Deal with it!"

"Shut up, Maemi." The one the girl had called "Maro" huffed.

"Make me." Maemi glared and both boys suddenly looked extremely nervous.

"Now, now you three. Calm down and clam up. The fights are about to start." Their teacher smirked. "But if Naruto becomes upset, we're leaving, so I suggest you three don't give him a reason to fuss."

The trio looked at the child who sat happily upon their teacher's lap and nodded.

"Sorry, Naruto."

"Please be good, we really want to see this!"

"You better not ruin this, brat."

'_Note to self: Curse the Disgruntled one.' _But that would have to wait, Harry was there to cheer on his big sister and if that meant putting up with a bunch of mouthy morons he would deal with it.

"Next up! Mitarashi Anko of Konohagakure VS. Namae Watashi of Sunagakure."

"That's not good..." The Jounin muttered and four children turned their attention towards him.

"How so, sensei?" Maemi inquired and the older man sighed.

"We might have to leave. Suna-nin are notorious for being ruthless..."

"This is the "Psycho Snake Bitch" we're talking about. I think she's more likely to make a scene than the Suna guy." Maro scowled.

"Either way, any bloodshed might give Naruto nightmares... or worse. For the sake of the mission, we can't take that chance..."

"I am not leaving because of the runt." Natsu stated and crossed his arms once more.

"I'm with him." Maro seconded and Maemi growled at them.

"The mission comes before a shinobi's personal feelings on the matter. If Sensei says we need to get the "client" out of here to insure his mental safety than we shall do just that." The girl stated firmly as she got up from her seat.

"No go!" Naruto shouted suddenly.

Before they could blink there was a "pop" sound and the little blonde was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no!" Maemi gasped.

"Where did he go?" Maro groaned.

"Brat." Natsu sneered.

"Find him. NOW." Sensei commanded.

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" Ah-ko! Ah-ko!"

The dark haired kunoichi shook her head. "I think I'm hearing things..." She stated as she looked at the medic-nin who was attending her injuries.

Oh, she had won the fight. In fact, Wata-whatever had one foot in the grave and a swarm of doctors were trying desperately to get the conceited ass in stable condition. But she hadn't walked away unscathed. The irritating jerk had been annoyingly persistent.

"Hearing things? I do not recall any direct hits to your head, but I will check just in..."

A blonde blur slammed into the medic's side and knocked the breath out of the poor guy.

"Ah-ko! Ah-ko!" Said blur appeared to have recovered from the impromptu collision quickly and launched himself into the kunoichi's arms. "Ah-ko onee-chan!"

"What the..."

"Are you okay, Harue?" Another medic asked as the man approached his "fallen" comrade.

"Yeah. What hit...me..." The injured medic-nin, Harue, trailed off as he looked at the blonde with wide eyes. "How, what... Why are you holding that THING?"

The man was shocked when a sandal made contact with his face and sent him flying across the room.

"How dare you refer to my little brother that way!" Anko growled and stood from the examining table. "If I ever hear you call Naruto anything less than Human again I will shove a snake so far up your ass your buddies will have to extract it from your MOUTH, got that?"

"Anko-chan, is everything okay?" Ibiki asked as he walked in to check on her. "Naruto?" His eyes widened when they fell upon the child. "How did you..."

"Has anyone seen Naruto?" A voice drifted in from the hallway. "The brat escaped my team..."

"Your team must suck." One of Ibiki's teammates, Hayate, commented casually.

"That's not the problem!"

"Either way, it's not MY problem." Hayate stated firmly. "You had best find him, because if anything happens to Naruto you will have to answer to Hokage-sama himself."

There was a panicked yell and the sound of someone running off.

They could hear Hayate's chuckles long before he rounded the corner and entered into the Infirmary.

"Hey Ibiki, is your girlfriend okay?" Hayate inquired before he realized that Anko was just fine and looked ready to kill. "Oh, hey Mitarashi-san. Good to see you looking well..."

The dark eyed male stopped abruptly when a kunai shaved off a few hairs and imbedded itself into the wall next to his head.

"I... I think I hear Tokara calling. Bye!" And with that the brunette made a hasty retreat.

"Ibiki..."

The teen, who was visibly nervous, looked over at his female companion. "Yes, Anko-chan?"

"Where does your teammate live?" Anko inquired with a sickeningly sweet smile.

'_It was nice knowing you, Hayate.' _

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'_Shinobi are AMAZING.' _ Sure, Harry hadn't been overly fond of all the bloodshed, but the fact remained that ninja were awesome!

And "Naruto" had the potential to be one.

But it wasn't all fun and games. These ninja were a serious bunch and downright deadly. Harry might have magic on his side, but he would still have to train to wield both his magic AND control his chakra.

'_IF I want to become a killer...' _Yeah, that part he was a bit of a killjoy... literally.

As an Auror he only took out the bad guys, while here it could be someone as "innocent" as a political enemy. Harry wasn't sure he was up for that...

Then again, if he did not take the path of a ninja he would be unable to use his magic. If he were a shinobi, people would brush it off as some "jutsu" or a kekkei genkai. As a civilian...

'_I would be mistaken as an enemy posing as a citizen and all hell would break loose... OR it would just give the Council a reason to kill me.' _Right, looked like the only logical choice he had was to become a ninja.

Or leave Konoha.

'_I won't leave... Not as long as Anko onee-chan is here.' _

So that was it. Uzumaki Naruto would become a shinobi, and Harry Potter would be a distant memory...

'_As if.' _Harry mentally snorted.

If Harry had learned anything from watching the Chuunin Exams and observing his "babysitters" it was this: In the world he now inhabited, it was to one's advantage to be underestimated.

Harry had every intention to make people think him a foolish, reckless Gryffindor. -A harmless pest of a prankster should do the job.- He would call this part of himself "Naruto" because, essentially, that's who Naruto would be. An unpredictable, knucklehead ninja who would rather knock someone out -by pure "dumb luck" of course- than to end them.

Let the citizens underestimate him. Let them believe Naruto to be a below average child, a being who couldn't possibly cause the pain and destruction the beast sealed within him had. Put the people's minds at ease and no one would notice a thing...

Only those who mattered would know the truth.

'_Anko onee-chan and Ibiki-kun already know what I can do, I will let them see the real me... Maybe even tell Grandpa Hokage. Hermione...' _Harry mentally sighed.

He really wished he had Hermione there with him. She was so good at organizing plans, speaking logically, and most of all... he just missed her.

Alas, Harry would have to take his mind off of her until he could locate his Bookworm. Otherwise he might just sink himself into a depression or something equally unacceptable.

'_But what is the best way to take my mind off of her...' _Harry's eyes widened. '_My mind! Occlumency, how could I forget? Heck, maybe I'll run into "Big, Red, and Furry" and have a nice chat.' _Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

On paper maybe...

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**A/N: **I invoke the right of "Creative License of Fanfiction" for this and say that Anko was a Konoha citizen at age 9... Which means she was a Konoha-nin when she made Chuunin. Just in case ^^;; lol

Why did I make this chapter when I could have done something a lot more fun/time-skip a bit? Because I wanted Harry to see what he would be getting into, as well as come to a conclusion as to how he could avoid killing and hide his abilities. After all, shinobi thrive through deception...most of the time XD lol That, and I wanted a little more Anko/Ibiki interaction :D lol And of course show Harry's first time Apparating in this world XD lmao


	5. iv - Mind

**A/N: **All mistakes are mine... I need a beta XD lol Any takers? :D

Sorry, pet peeve of mine -just like with certain ninjas- cowards irk me... As I mentioned in the first chapter, I laugh at Flames. But if you are going to leave one, don't be a coward about it XD lol If that's how you feel, then have the guts to sign it :D To sign as "A Reviewer" is just the same as if you put "Guest" or "Anonymous." If you cannot own up to what you write, don't bother writing it at all. Thank you. - Love, Ari (see, I signed it! XD lol)

**To all my readers who have taken time out of their busy schedules to leave a review**, I appreciate you! Truly. I know in this day and age people are always rushing about and don't have time for such trivial things. The fact that so many have commented, even if it is just a word, it means a lot! You all make me smile and keep my muse going strong! And though I may not respond all the time, I do read each and every one. I am not a professional writer (I believe that is painfully obvious XD lol) so I expect constructive criticism and whatnot from time to time, maybe a flame here and there, but you all have been nothing but kind (expect for one, but 1 in 80+ isn't bad! XD lmao). From the bottom of my heart, Thank You.

Okay, enough mushy stuff! Let's get on with the story :D lol

**Key:**

"Talking"

_'Thoughts'_

**Note:** Since they will be in Harry/Naruto's mind, Kyuubi wont be written **{ like this } **because they are both in his mind-scape rather than Kyuubi speaking in his mind... Sorry, working on very little sleep so if that doesn't make sense let me know ^^;; lol

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**Death is Only the Beginning!**

Chapter Four: Mind

WC: 3900-ish...

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Running into "Big, Red, and Furry" was a stupid idea!

The Kyuubi was angry, to say the least. Not to mention he was a freaking arse! Harry was so tempted to curse the overgrown fox. Seriously, all Harry had wanted to do was work on his Occlumency.

Turns out he was rather decent at it when his teacher wasn't a hateful prick. Severus might have been Harry's silent protector, but the man had still hated Potter.

'_Not my fault Prongs was a prat.' _But that was neither here nor there. '_Doesn't this guy ever shut up?' _

Another twenty minutes of ranting later and Harry was pretty certain he had his answer. Who knew monsters could be so talkative?

'_That's it! I can't take it anymore!' _Harry glared at the fox. "Look, the way I see it is we are stuck with each other." He growled once the Kyuubi had paused to take a breath. "So we can either get along and I can make staying with me worth your while, or I can make your life a living hell!" He yelled.

"And how could you, a mere Human, possibly accomplish either?" Kyuubi asked in a haughty "mightier than thou" tone as he stuck his nose...er, muzzle... into the air.

Harry debated the wisdom of using the Cruciatus on the bastard. Sure, he knew the spell was considered "morally wrong" in his old world, but in the land of ninja... they would probably praise him for such an effective torturing technique.

Actually, the shinobi would probably be thrilled with a lot of the darker spells Harry knew from Auror training...

But that was besides the point! Harry had already come to terms with the fact the world he now inhabited was filled with beings far deadlier than Death Eaters -the Kyuubi being a prime example.- Hell, the place was probably crawling with several Voldemort wannabes too! He understood that he would have to use everything he knew to his advantage, whether he liked it or not.

However, that didn't mean he had to throw away ALL of his morals. Just the ones that would most likely get him or Hermione killed... Which was damn near ALL of them...

'_I'm getting off track.' _Right, the Cruciatus...

It was his "duty" to keep the fox in line after all, so he would have to check into anything that could possibly give him the upper hand against something a gazillion times his size. So the question wasn't whether it was wrong or right, Harry needed to know if it would work against the beast or just tick it off.

'_Only one way to find out.' _Harry shrugged as he raised his hand toward the imprisoned bijuu. "Crucio."

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Yep, it worked.

Not the gut wrenching, body withering effect it would have on a person -though that might have something to do with the fact he was still in the process of teaching his new body how to use magic- but the spell obviously caused the creature a considerable amount of pain... Therefore Harry released the spell after only a few seconds.

He'd gotten his point across.

"How in the eighteen levels of Hell did you do that?" Kyuubi looked at Harry, dumbfounded.

"Magic." Harry smiled.

"Ha, ha, very funny." Red eyes practically shot daggers at the Wizard. "Now what kind of jutsu was that?"

'_My, my, someone recovers quickly.' _The young man chuckled mentally.

Harry was happy that the spell didn't seem to have any lingering side effects on the creature. He might be willing to use it to maintain control and keep the large beast in line, but that didn't mean he wanted to cause the fox undue pain. A Slytherin by nature Harry might be -the ability to adapt quickly in order to survive was as much a part of him as that damnable hero complex- but he was no Voldemort! Causing pain and fear for enjoyment was not his cup of tea, and it never would be!

'_But fear of the pain I can cause might help us get along better... I can only hope.' _Harry would much rather be on friendly terms with his tenant.

Being truthful with the bijuu was as good a place to start as any he supposed, and the best way to begin would be to answer the fox's question.

"That was the Cruciatus Curse," Harry sighed and crossed his arms, "and it's not a jutsu, it is a magic spell."

The fox just stared at him. "You're kidding, right?" To this Harry shook his head and the Kyuubi blinked. "Honest to Kami magic?"

"Yep."

"And you wield it?"

"Yep."

"You're not a kitsune in disguise using some new "Fox Magic" trick on me, are you?"

"No, I'm..." Harry paused as his arms dropped to his sides in shock while he looked at the Ninetails with wide eyes. "Kitsune? As in the legendary tricksters? The creatures of Japanese lore who take on the form of Humans to cause mischief?" He questioned excitedly, while looking eerily like a budding fanboy...

Kyuubi raised a brow. "You're not from around here are you?" He countered.

"What gave it away?" Harry laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, the fact that you are able to cause me discomfort and call the ability a "spell" might have been a bit of a hint. Or maybe the part where we are in a child's body and you look like a young adult whose coloring is practically the opposite of said child."

The kitsune had a point. Apparently when Harry was in his mindscape, he was projected as what he'd been when he had died and not the child he currently was. An interesting little twist, but Harry wasn't one to complain.

"But the dead giveaway has to be your questions about my kind." The Kyuubi smirked and brought Harry out of his musings.

"What can I say?" Harry shrugged and sat down next to the bars of Kyuubi's prison, unperturbed that he was so close to the bijuu. "I'm descended from a prankster and always found kitsunes to be the epitome of what a Marauder should be...minus the more malicious pranks of course."

"We're only malicious if someone has wronged us." The beast did the fox equivalent of a shrug.

Harry nodded and smiled. "Ya know, people think I... or rather my new self Naruto, is a certain kitsune." He commented "offhandedly."

"Seriously?" Kyuubi chuckled. "Humans can be so stupid sometimes."

"Agreed." Harry joined in the kitsune's mirth. "Extremely so in some cases. As if a child could be, well... YOU. It's preposterous! Though..." He trailed off and the fox looked curious.

"Though? I know you have more to say, so spit it out already!"

"You are an impatient, annoying arse." Harry deadpanned and the tailed-beast glared at him.

"That's not what you were going to say."

"True." Harry grinned. "That was merely my current assessment of you." A quick shield spell deflected the blow aimed at his head. "Touchy..."

"I am within my rights to act this way! You try being being sealed away in a cramped space for long periods of time and see how you like it!"

"I don't."

"Huh?" Red eyes looked at the young man in confusion and Harry sighed.

"Or rather, I didn't..."

"What do you know?!" The fox snarled.

"My situation might not have been the same, but I know what it is like to be sealed away. To be tossed aside and hidden away in a cupboard. To be starved of a creature's most basic needs..." Harry growled as he thought about the Dursleys. "But at least you aren't expected to do all the work. YOU aren't treated like a slave. YOU aren't thought to be some Savior, while those who have placed such high standards upon your shoulders wont even lift so much as a finger to help!" He yelled and the beast's eyes widened.

Silence reigned throughout the sewer-like landscape while Harry calmed down. He really should have seen a mind Healer, but he'd never had time. All that pent up anger and resentment towards his so called "relatives" -along with some of the shit he had endured thanks to the Wizarding World- was still there... And now the only one who could help him was Hermione, but he still had to find her.

"...What are you?" Kyuubi asked hesitantly and green eyes looked up at the creature.

"Human..."

"No, no..." Kyuubi shook his head and looked to be perplexed as how to explain what he'd meant. "I know you have Human form, and are for all intent and purposes part of said race, but..." The fox sighed and laid down so he was more on Harry's level. "What ARE you?"

The dark haired man was surprised by the powerful creature's gesture, but decided to take it as a good sign. Maybe the two of them could be friends after all. They did have a little bit in common... a lot actually if a person overlooked the fact that one was Human and the other a Kitsune.

'_I guess telling him can't hurt.' _Besides, if Harry was going to ask the fox to help guard his memories than the tailed-beast would need to know the truth.

It would put things into perspective for the bijuu if nothing else.

Not to mention that, until he could locate Hermione, having someone to talk to about his past would probably be extremely helpful to his mental state. It wouldn't do to blow something up because he got angry after all, especially since it was apparent -thanks to that little Disapparating spell during Anko's Chuunin Exams- that he had to deal with bouts of Accidental Magic. Again.

"I'm Death's favorite toy." Harry laughed humorlessly. "I'm a soul reborn with all of my past memories and abilities intact. I can shield my memories from those who are... uninvited, as well as alter the landscape of my mind. Not to mention, last I checked, I can also change into an animal..." He hummed and bounced his head from side to side. "So all in all, I'm not entirely sure what I would be classified as."

"And the magic?" Kyuubi prompted and the young man decided to answer, only because the bijuu was honestly curious about him.

"Left over from my last life? Kinda..." Harry countered with a small smile. "It was a gift I suppose, to have something I am familiar with in my new life. Magic was always a comfort for me in my last world, so Death had mercy on me..." He snapped his fingers as if just realizing something. "Oh! And Death thought it would be funny to introduce magic to a world that knows nothing about it." He laughed. "You have to admit, it's a great prank!"

Kyuubi chuckled along with the "Human." The boy was right, Death had played a trick the likes of which no mere mortal could ever hope to outdo.

"So..." Harry started as he looked around at their surroundings. "A sewer huh?" An obvious change of subject, but Harry was never one to enjoy talking about himself. "I've heard of people's minds being in the gutter, but this is ridiculous." He looked pointedly at the fox.

"Don't look at me, THIS wasn't my idea." Kyuubi growled and glared at the green eyed male.

"Well it wasn't MY idea... Wait. This place looks somewhat like that place my new body was born, doesn't it?" Harry wondered aloud and the Ninetails rolled his eyes.

"What do you Humans say... Duh?" This earned the beast a green eyed glare.

"Oh hardy har, har, har." Harry stuck his tongue out and the bijuu chuckled.

Kyuubi couldn't help himself, he hadn't met a Human who didn't fear him... Well, not since the Sage of Six Paths at any rate. It was strangely refreshing and certainly a weird turn of events.

"Okay... apparently my subconscious could have, possibly, maybe come up with this place..." The Wizard reluctantly conceded. "But at least I know how to fix it!" He stated happily as he got to his feet.

"And what do you intend to do?" Kyuubi asked with a raised brow.

"I'm thinking a forest with a mountain range in the back part of the mind, with a cave... A LARGE, comfortable cave that you may come and go in as you please?" Harry inquired as he looked at the fox for confirmation.

"Come and go as I please? You mean you will not seal me within it? That you would allow me to enjoy the forest?" Kyuubi questioned, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Kitsune are wild, just like their special kind of "magic." You should not be sealed away... not like this." Harry commented as he placed his hands upon the bars of the fox's cage. "This is just cruel."

Kyuubi snorted. "It's better than being chained to a slab."

Harry looked at the bijuu sadly and reached into the prison to gently pet the fox's muzzle.

To say Kyuubi was shocked would be an understatement, though strangely he found the gesture to be rather... nice.

"So long as you do not give me a reason to cage you, I shall not. We have no choice in this whole mess of you being sealed inside me, I cannot allow you to harm people, but aside from that..." Harry smiled. "I see no reason to hold you down."

And with that the mindscape began to waiver and change...

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Kyuubi stood proudly on the cliff outside the cave, which overlooked the entire forest of Harry's mind. Said Human stood beside him and smiled at his handiwork.

"Not bad if I do say so myself." Harry stretched his arms over his head and headed toward the cavern behind them. "Just a few things I would like to mention, then you are free to roam around to your heart's content." He called over his shoulder.

"Go on." The fox stated in a commanding tone, still too stunned at the turn of events to begin exploring just yet anyway.

"So pushy." Harry chuckled and raised his hands to start weaving spells around the cave.

Sure he was mentally making said protections, but imagining a "physical" manifestation of his doing so just felt less... weird. It was one of the reasons he'd had trouble with Occlumency the first go around. He was a hands on person, and the Potions Master was more the mental-type. Whereas the greasy git hadn't had any difficulty with the task, Harry had to take a different approach and use his imagination to make things possible.

"This cave is where I shall hide my darkest secrets, namely memories of my past life... The protections surrounding it can only be bypassed by you," Harry paused to look over his shoulder at the fox and smiled, "and myself of course." He sighed and turned back to his work. "If you wish to view them, I give you permission to do so. All I ask in return is that you help me protect them..." what was left of his smile faded into a frown and a haunted look clouded his green eyes, "there are some things I do not want others to know about me. My past was not all that glamorous after all..."

"I can tell from your... understanding of my previous situation." Kyuubi nodded and looked at the forest once more, at what would be his domain for the time being.

A far cry better than either of his previous prison...er, jinchuuriki, that was for certain.

"Right."

"Though I will not pry into your personal affairs. To have trust in me enough to even offer speaks volumes and I appreciate the vote of confidence." Kyuubi sighed and looked at the boy. "I'll admit, I'm shocked. Aren't you afraid by giving me so much leeway I might bust out of here and destroy your precious Konoha?"

"Whoever said Konoha was precious to me?" Harry asked; his expression was innocent and held no malice or deceit, but the question itself...

"It was the land where you were born? The place your parents died to protect?" Kyuubi questioned, though he mentally cringed at the mention of Naruto's parents... he had essentially been the one to end them after all.

Harry snorted. "My parents died protecting me, a PERSON. And though they might have been loyal to a village, I am not the type to put my whole faith into such things. My loyalty is to living beings who are precious to me, not plots of land or governing bodies."

"Living beings?"

"That's what I said."

"Yes, but why? Why "living beings" and not people?" Kyuubi questioned and Harry smiled.

"Because the term "people" wouldn't accurately encompass beings like you."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Some time later... Harry walked out of the cave to see Kyuubi laying down near the edge of the cliff.

"Aren't you going to go check things out?" Harry raised a brow in question.

"No, I'm content just knowing that I CAN should I so desire."

The dark haired human nodded, he understood completely and couldn't fault the bijuu. After the war Harry had done something similar, so he had no reason to judge.

"I have placed the memories in the far back of the cave. I will work on hiding them better later, I should be getting back before the matron freaks out..." He paused before a wicked grin graced his features. "Then again, sending the woman to the hospital for a mental breakdown AGAIN would be rather entertaining." He chuckled and the fox raised a brow.

"Are you SURE you're not a kitsune?" Kyuubi chuckled.

"I should have been." Harry shrugged. "But alas, I was born Human." He sighed and walked over to stand next to the Ninetails.

"You'd make a... cute kitsune." The beast chuckled and Harry smirked.

"Are you kidding? I used to be irresistibly adorable anytime I'd change into a fox!" Then he cringed. "In fact... All the girls would love all over me and want to take me home with them." The young man shuddered at the memory.

That was also about the time he'd started finding the fairer sex slightly...

'_No slightly to it! Females are downright scary.' _No beating around the bush on that one... no pun intended.

"Change into a fox? You mean you ARE a kitsune?" Kyuubi looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or maim.

"I'm not a kitsune. I was born Human in both lives as far as I know, I swear!" Harry held up both hands in a placating gesture. "But you remember how I told you "last I checked, I can change into an animal"?" When Kyuubi nodded Harry continued his explanation. "Well, it's called an animagus transformation. Not all can do it, but there are some Wizards -and Witches- who are able to. Their animal forms differ, but mine happened to be a fox."

"Do these "animal forms" reflect the persona of the one transforming by any chance?" The Ninetails inquired.

"They are said to, yes. Foxes are cunning, social yet self reliant, and can adapt quickly... but they are also a playful bunch. Hermione said it suited me."

"I'll admit, I must agree with this... Hermione." The tailed-beast hummed. "And seeing as you are more or less one of my kind, you may call me Kyuubi-sama."

Harry looked at the giant fox with wide eyes before a genuine smile lit up his face. "Prat." He chuckled and shook his head. "Alright, Kyuubi-_sama, _I guess you can call me by my fox name."

"And that would be?" Kyuubi prompted when Harry didn't appear to be forthcoming.

"Mischief."

"Seems rather fitting." Kyuubi mused.

"You've no idea..."

"I didn't do anything! I swear I would never endanger him like this!" A male voice yelled from off in the distance.

Kyuubi looked at Harry and the man shrugged.

"Don't ask me." He might act nonchalant about it, but the green eyed male found it rather worrisome that at least two beings had managed to make it into his mind-scape without his notice. "I'm going to go check it out."

"I'm coming with you, Mischief." Kyuubi smirked. "You might need backup."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Are you implying I'm weak?"

"Not at all." The sarcasm was practically dripping from the comment.

"Ponce." Harry sighed with a shake of his head, though there was an unmistakable smile adoring his lips.

Who knew he would enjoy the company of someone like...

'_Malfoy.'_ Not the best comparison, but it was the closest one he could think of at the moment. '_Though Kyuubi is a lot braver than Draco.' _Actually, the kitsune was a lot MORE than Malfoy. Period.

The duo walked together -more like Harry walked and Kyuubi took a step every now and then- and it didn't take long before the voices drifted to them once more.

They were getting really close.

"We have to find Kyuubi and seal him before he hurts my baby!" A woman yelled frantically.

"Hai, hai. I know love, I know..." The man replied before both Humans rounded a corner and came face to face with Harry...

And an extremely irate Kyuubi.

Both the redhead female and the blonde male were on guard and battle ready in an instant. A testament to their shinobi status for sure.

"There will be no sealing "big, red, and furry" as long as I can help it." Harry stated as he walked protectively in front of the fox.

Not like it really did much good. Harry didn't even reach the bijuu's ankle after all... But it was the thought that counts.

"Well, not any more than he is now at least..." Harry scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, I guess we haven't been properly introduced."

"Who are you and why are you in my son's mind?" The blonde growled and looked ready to strike.

'_So impatient...' _Harry thought fondly.

There were several people the young Wizard could compare the blonde to, his act-first-question-later dogfather being high up there on the list.

"My name was Potter Harry in my last life, though this time around I am known as Uzumaki Naruto."

"Reincarnation?" The redhead looked at him wide eyed. "But aren't souls supposed to have their memories wiped clean before they are reborn?" She looked skeptical.

"Under normal circumstances, yes." Harry nodded. "Though no one has EVER accused me of being normal." He laughed, then sighed in defeat when he realized no one was amused. "Does no one around here have a sense of humor?"

Silence met his question.

"Guess not." Harry turned in the direction of the cave and realized something big, red, and furry blocked his path. "Hey Kyuubi-sama, I'm going to explain things to my parents so if you want to go frolic you are more than welcome to."

The fox glared at him. "I am a noble of the kitsune race, I do not FROLIC like some youngling."

"Hai, hai." Harry smiled. "Feel free to romp around then."

"That's synonymous to frolic!" Kyuubi growled and Harry looked at him with a stunned expression.

"Ooooooh, you're GO~OD."

"As entertaining as the two of you are, I have one question." The woman stated.

"I will happily answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability."

"What happened to the cage I created?"

"Cage? You mean the sewer thing?" Harry questioned.

"Yes. I constructed it to protect Naruto until he could make something himself." Kushina explained as she looked warily at the demon fox.

Harry and Kyuubi looked at one another.

"Told you it wasn't my idea."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**A/N:** As you can see, the old poll of Harry's animagus has already been answered XD lmao Soooo... time for a **new poll**! Who do you think Hermione if going to be? :D lol This question SHOULD be answered next week. Should being the key word here. Seriously, I had planned on her being in the story already, but my muse had other ideas . lol Namely a Kurama filled chapter (only to appease my muse ^^;; lol *cough*andmyloveofkitsunes*cough* )

Poor Kyuubi XD lol Every time he thinks he's got the upper hand and can act all "high and mighty," Harry throws him off balance XD lol Though he did manage to talk Harry into calling him Lord Kyuubi... kinda. Harry just does it to humor him, and the fact that he actually likes the kitsune for some odd reason :D lmao Hermione had better show up soon, or else Konoha might be in trouble. A kitsune influenced troublemaker can't be good for the sanity of the village ^^;; lol Or anyone for that matter Oo;;

Why does Kurama let Harry get by with so much? Because 1) he enjoys his new-found freedoms and 2) he doesn't know the extent of what Harry's magic can do and isn't in the mood to test it just yet... Besides, Harry is a fox (anmagus) and Kyuubi feels a -very slight- kinship of sorts towards him. That, and because Nine Tails is a symbol of wisdom and power in the kitsune world, the demon fox feels he is allowed to have an underling :D (Sure the reasoning might not be the best, but this is fanfiction and I LOVE foxes, so nya! :P lmao )


	6. v - Hermione

**A/N: **Several things to mention… 1) *bows* sorry to have been MIA for the last month! Let's just say I've not had any luck with electronics recently ^^;; lol 2) I hope this super-long chapter makes up for it. 3) Little refresher on J**apanese terms **at the bottom of the chapter… well, everyone might already know them but it's nice to have a reference sometimes. I know I appreciate them! :D 4) New poll! Love interest for Hermione? 5) I can't wait for them to become shinobi. It's going to be so much fun!

This first part is a little weird, so please bear with me… Hermione is dreaming. She's in the "theater" and her encounter with Death is playing, but in between she interjects her thoughts/comments… Oh you'll see.

**Key:**

'_Words.' _(Thoughts)

'_Words.' More words all in Italics "speaking yet in italics…" _(Hermione's dream thoughts/comments)

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o **( Itachi's necklace… oh no, wait. My bad. That's the divider between what's on the theater screen and Hermione in said theater XD lol)

"**Speaking" ** Death talking

"Speaking" Normal person speaking

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**Death is Only the Beginning!  
**Chapter Five: Hello Hermione

Word Count: 6500-ish (this thing is a monster Oo;; lol)

Beta: Not beta-ed yet, though I do have one finally! :D (If they haven't forgotten me ^^;; lol)

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

'_Oh, not this again...' Hermione thought with a dejected sigh as she took a seat in the empty theater._

_She already knew what the showing was, word for word, yet for some reason her subconscious felt it necessary for her to relive it every night._

'_More likely Death is pulling the strings and has me view our encounter in my dreams nightly for the sole purpose of driving me to accept his "deal" sooner rather than later...' That was actually a very good possibility._

_That, or it was an attempt to assassinate what was left of her sanity. Could go either way..._

_Not that she could do anything about it. Not even Occlumency helped, she had tried! All she could do was sit back, relax, and suffer through it night after night with as much dignity as she could muster._

_And interject a smartass comment here and there to make things less... redundant._

'_Though I'm running out of material...' She thought with a sigh. "Lights, camera... action!" She cried sarcastically. "Seriously, roll the bloody film so we can get this over with."_

_The projector's engine fired up and soon the reel started to spin..._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Why hello there, Hermione Granger..." **a dark voice echoed in the darkness.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_What kind of greeting is that anyway? Seriously, the only thing "creepy" about that is it brings to mind a perverted stalker.'_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"I know this is a lame question and extremely unoriginal, if not downright cliche, but am I dead?" Hermione inquired.

"**I believe you already know the answer to that." **Came the reply in the surrounding darkness.

"Yes, but it is only natural that I would want confirmation rather than to make a fool of myself." The young woman shrugged and crossed her arms.

"**Very well..." **The voice sighed. "**Congratulations! Your attempt to protect your bestfriend failed and you are now dead."**

"You don't have to be such a dick about it."

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_I call them like I see them.'_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Oooh, your tongue has become awfully sharp in your old age. What happened to your blind obedience to authority figures?"**

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_Like he's one to talk about age. I'll bet the only reason we were in total darkness is because Death doesn't want to show his face.' It was probably turning to dust... or fossilized._

_The consequence of the enshrouded encounter meant she was stuck watching a black theater screen every night. It made the experience even more irritating, that was for certain. The only visible thing being the colorful "captions" at the bottom, which seemed to be there to break up the monotony._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"It died." Hermione deadpanned. "I'm sure you were graced with my "Obedience" quite a few years ago... around Fourth or Fifth Year if I'm not mistaken."

"**Ah, the Death Eater in disguise and then the Um-bitch incident, am I correct?"**

'_The list goes on and on...' _Hermione thought as she laughed aloud. "Something like that, though you forgot the utter corruption within the ministry... among other things.." She countered. "I'm not sure exactly when my "Blind Obedience" passed on, but by the time I got to Healer training it was long gone."

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_Bastard is lucky I only gave him a condensed version.' Though if she had known then what she knew now, she should have tortured him a little with a complete list of all her grievances._

_Deity or not, Death deserved a bit of hardship for what he and Fate had done to them._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Ah yes, you completed a ten year course in five. Impressive."**

"Time-turner." Hermione rolled her eyes... not that anyone could tell in the darkness.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

_However the action WAS added in the captions on the screen strangely enough. There were some things Hermione didn't bother to question. Sure she liked having all the answers, but sometimes the headaches that came along with the knowledge just weren't worth it._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"Look I'm flattered, really, but why in the hell would Death care about something trivial like the life of a mortal?"

"**Curiosity?" **Death countered, but when it was obvious that Hermione wasn't buying it he sighed.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_Who was he fooling? The guy is pants at trying to BS people.'_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Fine. Fate had a vested interest in Harry and, by association, YOU. When Fate and I agreed on this pet project, she told me about you both."**

"Pet project?"

"**Yeah, we're sending you and Harry to a world without magic while keeping your memories and abilities intact. We thought it would be amusing. We only get a chance to have some fun once every millenium -or ten- so we must make the best of it."**

"So sending a Witch and a Wizard to a world where their kind are mere myths is the best you could come up with?"

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_They make me think of the Cosmic Troublemakers from the Nina Bangs books I used to read.' Not that anyone really knew about her addiction to the steamy novels. 'The Troublemakers were practically Gods who used to do things on a grand scale, yet they decided to meddle in individual affairs and found it more amusing...'_

_Extremely entertaining couple those Cosmic Troublemakers made, for sure._

'_Only Death and Fate aren't fictional characters, and they ARE deities...' _

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Not the most impressive, I know, but we have our limitations..." **Death paused.

Did she smell bullshit?

"**Speaking of which, you are not really connected to me beyond being friends with the..." **A dark chuckle filled the seemingly endless space. "**...so-called "Master of Death." This is a bit of a setback, but not an incapacitating problem."**

"How so?"

"**Well we are still going to do it, I just have to offer you something in return."**

"Which will bind me to you and prevent any problems from arising in your precious plans."

"**My, my... You truly are the brightest Witch of your age." **Death chuckled.

"Flattery won't help you get your way with me..."

"**Ah, but offering something that can help you save lives will."**

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Everyone has their achilles heel." Hermione sighed. "And who could blame me if saving lives is mine? Harry's not one to talk, at least I heal a person afterwards rather than jump headfirst into the raging battle..."_

_Oh wait. _

_She had done that a time or two as well... and she could blame every instance on Harry. It all stemmed from the man's Hero Complex, because the only reason SHE had participated was to cover HARRY'S arse..._

_And Ron's. Not to mention Neville and Luna..._

"_I do NOT have a bloody Hero Complex! I'm just an amazingly awesome friend, that's all." _

_So she hoped. _

_One of them had to keep a level head and think things through, and since it was only her and Harry in this new world... The strategist had to be her. _

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"Go on."

"**Fearless as ever I see. You might have an ability Ravenclaws would covet, but you're a Gryffindor to the core."**

"What does my power of Index have to do with anything?"

"**It is an ability thought to have died ages ago." **Death hummed, seemingly nonchalant about the whole thing.

Silence reigned throughout the darkness. Several minutes passed without a word from either being. Death was tempted to check and see that the girl hadn't passed out from shock.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_I might be young to him, but did Death really have to think of me as a mere girl?" Hermione huffed. "Besides, I was busy thinking. _ _**I**__, like most human beings, tend to get quiet when contemplating certain aspects of one's existence..."_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"I thought you said there was no connection. You mean to tell me that you gave me the power..."

"**Not me." **Death cut in. "**Fate. She has already connected to you, so all that remains is a... relation between you and me."**

"You sound like a pervert."

"**I have to get my rocks off somehow. Not getting any from... Nevermind."**

"Whatever." She really didn't want to know. "So... you said that Fate was only interested in me for my association with Harry, so why would she grant me a power which had been lost?"

"**The moment you became friends with Harry Potter, your destiny changed. Fate herself wanted Harry to have the tools to do her bidding, and what better way to make sure he had information at his fingertips than to have his best friend be a walking, talking well of information?" **

Hermione knew the question was rhetorical, but she was tempted to say something. Nevertheless, she held her tongue.

Barely.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_The better way would have been to make HARRY the walking, talking encyclopedia... Alas, the guy used to act like he was allergic to books thanks to Ron -who apparently had bibliophobia- and so... I was the next best thing." _

_Actually, except for things pertaining to work and improving himself for the job Harry -to their dying day- had developed a somewhat unconscious fear when it came to text._

'_Probably thanks to those horrid pigs he called relatives.'_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**I want to know something... why would you hide such a talent? You had been given the gift to remember everything you've heard or read from the time you hit your magical maturity, yet you "played dumb" and didn't tell anyone about it until AFTER the war."**

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Played dumb? As if." Hermione huffed. "And there is more to it than just remembering everything one has heard or read." She rolled her eyes. _

_Though out of everything she'd learned once she let the "cat out of the bag" about her ability, there was one thing of which she was certain… She SHOULD have taken her secret to the grave! _

_Seriously, people could be monsters._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"Sometimes it is best to hide one's true ability."

"**Oh?"**

"It is better to be underestimated, for it allows more opportunities to open to you. When a person isn't on guard because they perceive something as harmless, that is a great advantage. People also tend to speak more freely around someone when they believe it won't come back to harm them."

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

_Hermione shook her head at the black screen before her. Had she really thought that generalized comment would fool anyone, let alone Death? Sure she believed the words she had spoken, more so now than ever, but they weren't her reasoning on the matter…_

'_How annoying.' She was becoming irritated, and all she wanted to do was munch on junk food. "The least my dream could do would be to provide me with popcorn and candy. Chocolate preferably.'" The items appeared in an instant and Hermione smiled. 'If I'm going to suffer through this, might as well enjoy myself.' Sure, she knew it wasn't real..._

_But the lovely thing about dreams was the fact the brain sent out signals to make it seem real for the time being!_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**You'll make a great ninja."**

"Pardon?"

"**Nothing..." **Death chuckled. "**Though considering what happened after you told people of your power, your decision to conceal it was wise."**

"It felt like "Open Season" and I was the prey! There were Purebloods coming out of the bloody woodwork trying to woo me, and even a kidnapping attempt!" Hermione complained quite loudly and Death sighed.

"**Is that why your personality has become so harsh and your tongue sharp?"**

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Can Death say "Duh"? Seriously, a deity should know better than to ask silly questions." Hermione laughed lightly._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"The best defense is a good offense."

"**True. But do try and have some fun in the next life."**

"So..." Hermione trailed off and it was obvious she was trying to change the subject. "Fate gave me the power of Index, huh?" It was a welcomed change, seeing as there were certain things neither party really wanted to discuss.

"**Yup."**

"You've gotta be joking..."

"**Nope."**

"So the theory going around about Muggleborns being descended from outcast Squibs?"

"**Doesn't matter where you are going."**

"That sounds ominous."

"**I do try." **Death chuckled. "**But seriously, I don't have a lot of time to fool around. So let's get down to business, shall we?**

**My offer is simple, yet complicated..."**

"It's either one or the other, else it chances becoming an oxymoron."

"**Would it kill you to lighten up a little bit?" **The dark voice sounded irked, but then he laughed. "**Oh wait, nevermind." **

"Oh, hardy har har har… Smartass."

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

'_Again, I call them like I see them.'_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Again, I do try."**

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Smartass."_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"So what's the deal?"

"**There are several people - well, they cannot even be labeled Humans anymore really - that play at being immortal in the world you shall be placed in..."**

"Sorry, "Vanquisher of Immortals" is more up Harry's alley."

"**True, but only because he had the means to do so."**

"I'm a Healer, not a Killer."

"**Woman! Would you let me finish?" **

"Go on." Hermione conceded with a long suffering sigh, as if the task of hearing Death out was a great burden that would bore her to tears.

"**No wonder you got together with Ron. Only an emotionally challenged idiot could..."**

"Finish that sentence and the cosmos will be looking for your replacement."

"**And you claim not to be a killer."**

"I'm not against injuring someone to the point they will never be able to harm another."

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_I still stand by the statement." It was the only reason she was even contemplating becoming a shinobi. _

_Well, that and it would be the best way to disguise her magic. A civilian doctor using "healing powers and potions" would look highly suspicious after all, and the last thing she wanted was to be mistaken for an enemy ninja..._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**So violent." **If it weren't for the darkness, Hermione was sure one could see the deity sweatdrop. "**What happened to the sweet, innocent..." **Death paused as if he realized what he was saying was a load of crap. "**Oh right, you knocked the shit out of Malfoy in Third Year. Hmmm... You always have had a bit of a temper."**

"I was wondering how long it would take you to realize as much. If Fate truly did inform you about me, then you would know that I've always been a bit of a "Know-it-all" who cannot stand incompetence and will swiftly tell someone about their shortcomings." Hermione stated as she remembered her first real encounter with the males of the "Golden Trio."

Ron's reaction to her "advice" after Charms was actually the catalyst for her friendship with them after all. The redhead didn't take well to having his faults pointed out, and was always quite loud when he verbally complained about... well, anything and everything really.

"**Yet your bedside manner is commendable." **Death's voice brought Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Only when they STAY in bed like they are supposed to." She had stuck quite a few patients to the pristine hospital beds in her time, and even knocked some out for good measure.

"**Only because you care."**

"Your point? If you're trying to paint a pretty picture with me as the kind, caring, helpless young maiden centerpiece then you are barking up the wrong tree."

"**Whether you admit it or not, you and Harry have a lot in common. The fact that you both died in your attempt to save the other is proof." **Death commented. "**Now... can I explain my offer? It would be advantageous to you."**

One could practically hear a cricket chirp in the background.

"**Good. It's simple in the fact that I am offering you a Summoning Contract with what are known as "Devil Dogs," and the power necessary to command them."**

"There's a catch."

"**More than one." **Death chuckled and she knew there was a smirk on the prat's face. Though Hermione couldn't SEE it, she could hear it in the smug bastard's voice. "**First off, to control the "Hellhounds" one must be able to see souls. I will grant you the ability..."**

"More like curse."

"**Heh, can't pull one over on you I see." **Death chuckled. "**Yes, it is a curse. You will be able to see the souls of both the living and the dead, as well as whether or not more than one spirit inhabits a body. In the world you shall be going it will give you an advantage."**

"I don't see how."

"**You will in time." **

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Yep, the time I realized you sent me to a world inhabited by shinobi and riddled with DEMONS... also called Tailed Beasts." THAT had been an interesting shocker._

_Apparently people were forbidden to speak of the event... Yeah, that worked about as well as a guarded secret at Hogwarts. Needless to say Hermione had learned of the tragedy lickidy split without any effort whatsoever on her part._

'_Thank you, idiots, who believe a baby incapable of understanding anything.' _

_Though Hermione was a...unique case, children in general were a lot more intelligent than most people gave them credit for and it irked the Witch to no end when adults thought otherwise._

'_Works in my favor though.' Hermione mentally shrugged. 'Nice to know this world is filled with monsters even bigger and badder than Fluffy...' She thought with no little amount of sarcasm..._

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"What of the people who play at being immortal?"

"**You will know them when you see them. They have chained themselves to the world of the living... it is most unseemly."**

"The reason you can't do it yourself would be...?"

"**I cannot go to the mortal realm without assistance, or specific circumstances." **Death grumbled.

"Makes sense. So..."

"**Would you stop with the twenty questions?"**

"I've only asked two."

"**So far. If given the chance, I'm sure you would try and pick my brain for the rest of eternity."**

"And?"

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"_Well there had been no use in denying it. Twas the truth... perhaps he will allow me to do so one day..." Wishful thinking, yes, but a girl can dream!_

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

"**Anyway... The "Hellhounds" will do my bidding, I just need a mortal to Summon them. They can rip a soul from it's container and send it my way, no need to get your hands dirty." **Death hummed. "**Since I would be cursing you -for lack of a better term- and you will be working for me, I'm willing to sweeten the deal. I'm a nice guy like that..."**

"I get the feeling that's not the reason."

"**You're right. Truth is I think all this will make things more amusing." **Death said in a sing-song tone that worried Hermione slightly.

"With all due respect, I'll have to think about it..."

"**But you haven't even heard me out!" **If Hermione didn't know any better, she would say that Death had actually whined... Like a bloody child.

She had to be imagining things. There was no way that Death, a freaking deity, would lower themselves to such childish protests.

"Right..." Hermione trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"**Exactly." **Well, someone sounded smug. "**Now I am willing to grant you a little ditty I like to call Blood Antidote..."**

"You've created this ability and have never tried it before, am I right?"

"**Yup."**

"So I'd be your guinea pig?"

"**Right again."**

"Judging from the name it most likely has to do with my blood becoming an antidote to any poison..."

"**There are stipulations. I can't stand Mary-Sues, so you will have to endure some... side effects."**

"Such as?"

"**First of all, your blood will only become an antidote to any poisons you come into contact with. You must ingest, inhale, or inject said toxins. Oh, and depending on how strong they are you will experience some... discomfort."**

"If you are trying to make this sound appealing, you are failing miserably."

"**But it is the pain, or rather when the discomfort lets up, that will alert you as to when your blood has become immune and can therefore be used to help others."**

"Used to help others? Such as... drink it? What, am I to make a bunch of vampires or something? I thought you were against immortals."

"**You misunderstand my intentions. One CAN ingest the blood, yes, but it would be more efficient to just inject it. In fact, merely puncturing yourself with a senbon...er, needle and stabbing your "patient" would do the trick."**

"Sounds unsanitary."

"**Yet extremely convenient in a combat situation." **

That bloody cricket was back.

"You're sending us to a world that's in the midst of a war, aren't you?" Hermione deadpanned.

Sure she and Harry had been through a war... Hell, they had even been key players and managed to win the bloody thing for the Light side. But that didn't mean they wished to partake in another one, and they damn sure didn't want to be center stage of a conflict once again!

Even if she had become rather antsy since the fighting stopped...

"**More like constantly struggling to keep balance via battle and bloodshed." **Death laughed and Hermione groaned. "**So, you want to accept..."**

"I need to think about it."

"**Seriously?"**

"Sounds like there are more cons than pros honestly."

"**Fine." **Death sighed. "**Just having offered should be enough for a while, but you will accept sooner or later. Remember, there will come a time when you will wish to ask a favor of me..."**

"I doubt..."

"**Oh, you will. Everyone does." **Death stated, his tone full of confidence. "**When you make your wish, I will ask for only one thing in return..."**

"For me to accept."

"**Precisely."**

"A world of war, huh?"

"**More or less. You'll understand better when you get there."**

"Lovely."

"**Are you willing to reconsider your decision? My "gifts" will be quite useful." **Death tempted.

"I still want to think your deal over."

Death sighed. "**Very well." **The deity's voice seemed to come from behind her all of the sudden and Hermione gasped. "**Have fun!"**

"Wha..." And before she could finish her world went completely blank.

**o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

_And so did the theater screen._

"_Because that's when the bastard thrust me into a newborn's body without remorse."_

_Death should have felt a little bit sorry for her. After all, Hermione had learned quite quickly that re-teaching one's body how to do things was a pain in the arse... much like the deity who had caused the situation in the first place._

_People didn't realize all the things they took for granted as adults, that's for sure! Like being able to use the loo. Or taking a bath without assistance. Heck! One didn't realize how just being able to lift their head without difficulty was a blessing._

'_I will never look at life the same way again.' The woman sighed and looked around the empty theater. "Show's over, isn't it time for me to w..."_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Baby Girl! Time to get up! You don't want to miss playtime now, do you?" Her mother's voice called from down the hall and the child groaned.

'_And if I DO?' _

Playtime? Seriously? What did she think Hermione was, a socialite or something? Then again she wasn't Hermione anymore, so perhaps she should try and change certain aspects of her personality?

'_Yeah... that's not going to happen. I like who I was.' _

Though she had never been a fool. She realized it was essential to... alter some things to fit in better within her new environment, but luckily the majority of shinobi had some type of quirk to them! One could easily overlook some of her behavior as just her being "eccentric" or something.

When she got older and could actually BECOME a ninja that is.

Until then? She was stuck playing stupid. Or as "dumb" as a prodigy gets at any rate. Though from the looks her parents gave her from time to time…

'_I'm not a normal child and they understand that.' _It was sad but true.

Sometimes she wished she COULD be a normal child for them, for at least a few years give them the daughter they had always wanted, but it was impossible for her. Even in her past life she had never really played or socialized… Truth is, she didn't know HOW to act like a kid.

Beyond that, thanks to her accidental magic, she had been forced to work on her chakra a lot sooner than she had intended just so they would think she were practicing a jutsu or something when her magic flared.

'_They know I will become a ninja.' _And most civilians were wary, if not downright frightened, of shinobi

Her parents were no exception. Sure, they both smiled and tried not to treat her any differently, but it was there in their eyes...in their thoughts.

'_I'm glad my Legimency is only good enough to read surface thoughts right now.' _That, and put some emphasis on her suggestions…

Hermione wanted to improve her ability, of course, but… she wasn't so sure she wanted to know what her parents were thinking. In fact, it would probably be best to test her powers on people other than her folks. Less pain for her that way…

"Come my little Blossom, your...er, friends are sure to be waiting for you." Her mother called happily, but the woman's hesitation was obvious. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

'_She knows I don't.' _Hermione thought with a sigh before an idea popped into her head. '_Maybe this once…' _

Just this once she would try and act like a child… It was worth a shot anyway. Perhaps she could finally make her mother smile?

"Hai, I could use a hand picking something to wear." Hermione replied and heard something fall to the ground. "Mother?!" She cried and ran to see what was wrong.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hermione walked to the park with Mebuki, the woman she called Mother, though the girl was not one bit pleased with the older female.

'_She fainted. I concede to acting more like a child, for her sake, and she bloody passes out!' _Oh yeah, Hermione was ticked. '_Can't I do anything right?' _Actually, there was one thing she COULD do for her parents.

Tell them to have another kid. She was done playing "baby girl" for them, ESPECIALLY when their reaction was to faint!

"Mother…" Hermione sighed.

"Y...yes my Baby Girl?" The Witch cringed slightly when she heard the stutter in the woman's voice.

"Have another child."

"What?!" Mebuki looked at her daughter in disbelief, her body suddenly freezing up which caused her to stop in her tracks.

They were far enough away from the park, and no one was close by, so Hermione felt comfortable talking to the woman so openly. The young Witch could tell from the woman's body language she was in a state of shock, if not downright disbelief, so perhaps her mother's mind will chalk their conversation up be being a daydream…with a little help from Hermione's magic of course.

With a slight push Hermione was sure the lady would believe her "baby clock" was going off or something.

"You should have another baby."

"But darling…"

"I'm not what you wanted."

"That's not…"

"I am going to be a ninja, you wanted a normal -civilian- child. Have another one." Hermione smiled brightly. "Do not worry, I won't cause any trouble. If fact, I can help!" She exclaimed happily. '_I could entertain a sibling with genjutsu, and it would help me with my chakra control and development.' _A win-win for both parties for certain.

"I think Mommy needs to sit down." Her mother laughed nervously. "I could have sworn you just told me to have another child and even gave reasons why…" She shook her head, clearly dazed from both shock and the Witch's power.

"You're gonna give me a little brother or sister?" Hermione asked happily, adding to the illusion that the woman's mind was playing tricks on her.

"Um… I… well…" Mebuki stuttered and the girl could tell the woman was questioning her own sanity.

"I'll be a good big sis! I promise!"

"Er… well, we shall see." Her mother smiled, the first genuinely happy smile Hermione had seen in awhile.

'_Good.' _At least she had been able to do SOMETHING for the woman.

Hermione didn't like the fact her abilities were very limited at this point. Retraining was a pain, even more so when her parents were constantly watching. She couldn't heal the mind like she used to, so suggesting the best course of action to rectify one's situation was the best she could do at this point.

Yes, a sibling would be a blessing. '_Maybe then I will finally be able to train.' _

She could only hope!

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The mother and daughter duo had finally managed to make it to the park.

'_Ah well, might as well make the most of it.' _

It had taken quite a bit longer than Hermione would have preferred, but all things considered she wasn't overly surprised. Mebuki had needed a few minutes come to terms with the "daydream." The woman was sure she had imagined the whole thing. After all, there was no way a child could have spoken to an adult in such a manner.

And seeing as Hermione's new mother knew nothing about her past life, the only conclusion Mebuki could come to was that she had imagined the whole thing and it was probably a sign from God that she should talk to her husband about another addition to the family.

Hermione's mother had gone over to the benches to chat with the other parents as soon as they had arrived, and that was fine by her. It wasn't like the young Witch needed supervision. She preferred to be left alone for the most part, and she was certain her parents had realized as much… well, kind of. They still watched over her because it was their "duty," which was another reason she thought a sibling would do the family some good as a whole.

They needed to fawn over someone else. Heck, she might even be allowed to go places on her own once the baby comes!

'_I can only hope.' _Because if SHE had a choice of destination, it would probably be one of the training grounds, NOT the kiddie park.

Though going to the park wasn't all bad.

Sure she was expected to interact with the other children and play "nice" with the ignorant brats, but the older kids made it worthwhile. She could usually talk them into letting her read their scrolls. They thought she was looking at the pictures and found it cute, so the little Witch could get by with it.

Though heaven forbid they learn the truth. She could only imagine how they would react if they found out the "cute kid" was more intelligent than them and had already started practicing the moves in their scrolls during her free time...

Well, when she could escape from her parents or babysitters at any rate.

Yes, the park was a nice destination for the day. Mebuki was already dazed and confused so Hermione could probably get by with using a Bunshin, leaving the copy to "play" while she went to the training grounds. Or maybe...

'_Oh! I could try and catch that troublemaker that's been running about playing pranks on all the kids.' _

Well, not ALL the kids. Just the bullies really, who totally deserved it, but... well, she wanted to talk to the little mini-marauder in the making. He reminded her of Harry and she just wanted to get to know him.

Not like the other kids ever chatted with the blonde. In fact, they seemed to avoid the boy like the plague. It irritated Hermione to no end, because she had once been in his shoes during her last life, so maybe she could extend the hand of friendship whereas the other children were too immature to do so.

'_Okay, so maybe there are some differences. If what I've gathered is correct, then the child... Naruto was it? He's the living prison of that Bijuu thing...'_

Actually, that wasn't a bad idea! Her life had become quite boring and too predictable as of late, a chance to liven things up a bit sounded brilliant.

'_Speak of the devil.' _She saw a flash of blonde in the distance and a smirk appeared on her cute little face. '_Play time.'_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Naruto had been running like hell for a good twenty minutes or so. He was seriously winded, but it was nothing compared to the "training" his Onee-chan would give on a regular basis.

"That woman really is psycho." He muttered under his breath.

Though mentally stable or not, he loved the crazy snake woman! She and Ibiki made his life worth living…

Again.

He really needed to let them in on that little secret.

'_But first I've got to find Hermione.' _

And knowing his crazy luck, he'd find her when he least expected it.

"Well, I ditched those lose...whoa!" Naruto cried out when he suddenly found his world turned upside down. "What the…" He gasped when he realized he'd stumbled into a trap.

The rope around his ankle was a dead giveaway.

'_Probably set up for someone else. There is no way those Dudley wannabes could have beat me here. They're too slow, and it's not like they're smart enough to calculate my best possible escape route and cut me off at the pass or anything.' _He would just cut himself down and continue on home.

"My, my, my… what do we have here?" A distinctly female voice came from the shadows and Naruto turned to look at her.

She was a cutie, but that smile on her face kind of worried him. In fact, the grin reminded him of Sirius when he was up to mischief

"Would you look at that! The up and coming Marauder of Konoha. Up to mischief as always I see… Though I must admit, your pranks are rather impressive for someone so young."

"Look who's talking. Your manner of speech is rather advanced for someone so young." Naruto smirked and crossed his arms, all thoughts of cutting himself down forgotten for the moment. "Speaking of Marauders… Who do you think I am? Moony, Prongs or Padfoot?" He grinned.

"None of the above." The girl was wearing an equally big smile as she stood only a foot in front of him and looked into his blue eyes. "You're Mischief incarnate."

"Reincarnate to be precise." Naruto commented and the girl chuckled as she nodded in agreement. "You know, I had a feeling I would find you when I least expected it…"

"If I'm not mistaken, it was I who found YOU… or caught you. Whichever way you wish to view it." The little girl laughed lightly.

"Yeah, yeah…" Naruto pouted. "Now seriously, 'Mione, can you get me down? All the blood is rushing to my head."

"What? Are you still incapable of performing a simple cutting spell, Harry?"

"Nah, it's just that I'm more experienced at counterspells for pranks and I thought you would rather me fix your hair than waste the energy cutting myself down."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with my hair!" Hermione huffed and glared at the blonde.

"Yeah… have you seen yourself in a mirror lately?"

"I know for a fact that it is straight, silky, and most definitely NOT a frizzy mess of bushy locks."

"Yeah but it's...er, light red." Harry tried to put it to her gently and not grimace, but for some reason Naruto's face tended to be more… open than Potter's had been.

"Har… er, Naruto rather. Light red is called pink." Hermione stated calmly, as if she were tutoring him once again.

"I know my colors." Naruto growled. "I was just trying to be subtle, but if it makes you feel better… Someone turned your hair PINK. Bloody "Oh My God, stand out like a sore thumb" cherry blossom PINK."

"My name is Sakura, by the way." Hermione hummed offhandedly. "And for your information… It is Death's prank, because I was bloody BORN with pink hair."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

It took all of five seconds before Naruto burst into laughter. He was laughing so hard in fact that he barely even noticed when Hermione cut him free… until he landed on his head. THAT was rather obvious and a knot on the head was extremely hard to ignore.

"Ouch!" Naruto cried and clutched his head.

Luckily, Naruto's skull was even harder than Harry's had been... and that was saying something!

"What was that for Hermi…"

"Sakura."

"What was that for, Sakura-chan?" Naruto whined as he rubbed the bump on his head.

"Guess." Sakura glared at him and Naruto laughed nervously.

"Oh come on, even you have to admit that's got to be the best prank ever… well, aside from us existing here in the first place." Naruto smiled brightly.

"You've changed."

"Had to." The answer was a bit colder than Hermione had expected.

"What with your track record so far, I can understand."

"Huh? How so?" Naruto looked confused and Hermione had to admit; Harry had been cute but Naruto was adorable!

"Parents being murdered, your head being marked in some form or fashion, not to mention being forced to share your body with another soul…"

"Heh, yeah. Next thing you know, we'll find out I'm part of some prophecy or something…"

"Don't jinx it." Sakura groaned.

"Well, what do you say we…"

"Shhhh… Someone's coming." Sakura sensed some chakra signatures nearby.

They were faint, like someone was trying to hide their presence, but noticeable to one who has trained themselves to recognize such things. It wouldn't do to be discovered doing things way beyond her years and training after all, so she had to keep constant vigilance…

'_Merlin, I'm starting to sound like Moody.' _

"There you are! Anko-chan and I have been looking everywhere for..." Ibiki paused when he noticed Sakura stood next to his little brother. "Well, well, well... nice find otouto. Your girlfriend is a cutie." The older male smiled.

"Girlfriend? Ewww." Both children responded simultaneously.

"As if I would date my brother." Sakura added and rolled her eyes.

"And the thought of kissing my sister is just… bleh!" Naruto agreed.

"Huh?" Ibiki looked stunned and confused.

For all he'd known, this was the first time these two had met. It wasn't like Naruto was often far from either him or Anko, and the snake summoner had never mentioned a pinkette before…

"So how long have you two known each other?" Anko asked in a suggestive tone as she hopped off a nearby rooftop.

Naruto looked at Sakura and grinned, which caused the girl to raise an eyebrow. A smile like that never boded well, especially coming from HIM…

"Longer than the two of you have been alive." Naruto stated with a serious look on his face as he addressed his "siblings."

"NANI?!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A/N: To everyone who has favorited, followed, and ESPECIALLY those who have reviewed… I love you! :D You all are amazing and I thank you for your time and patience. I hope to keep updating weekly, though my computer access is limited at the moment, so I apologize to all you wonderful people. Though I write this to entertain myself, I am happy to know that you find it amusing as well :D

**For all you Sakura haters out there: I used to be one of you! ** Until Shippuden. Then she finally redeemed herself in my eyes and now I actually love the monstrously strong medic-nin. (I play healer characters, so… I have a soft spot of them ^^;; lol) Some of you probably saw the foreshadowing since Hermione was a Healer XD lol That, and I couldn't resist the hair :D

Also, Sakura's parents have always been civilians in my mind. I read manga, soooo… yeah. Anyway, disregard movie 6… lol (Found out about that when I was trying to figure out her mom's name XD lol)

**Japanese Terms**

Hai - yes

Otouto - little brother

Kami - God

Onee-chan - Big sister

Nani - What

Kitsune - fox demon


End file.
